1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flash memory in which a code for debugging an optical drive and a code for controlling the optical drive are downloaded when required, subsequently executed, and then deleted, and a method of dynamically loading a firmware operation module to an optical drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flash memory of an optical drive stores a firmware code for driving the optical drive, a code for debugging the optical drive, and a code for controlling the optical drive.
Firmware is generally a mediator that connects the software and the hardware. For example, when several hardware are installed on a main board, the hardware are not driven without firmwares even when the power to the hardware is turned on. Also, to access each apparatus to perform an operation desired by an application program, an appropriate mediator, that is, a firmware, is required. The firmware performs many functions, such as operating a hardware, buffering a collision of the hardware with software, and sending contents controlled by the software to the hardware. The firmware is located in a form area of a computer; therefore, data is stored even when the power is turned off. Hence, the firmware contains several routines required to turn on the power of the computer and several automatically operated programs.
Debugging denotes a process in which an optical disk drive finds and corrects errors, namely, bugs or avoids the errors.
Firmware code increases when functions of the firmware area increased; therefore, there is limited space for adding a code for debugging an optical drive and a code for controlling the optical drive to the optical drive. The optical drive debugging code and the optical drive controlling code, which are used in development of an optical drive are unnecessary in actual user environments. For example, the actual user environment is a regular operation of the flash memory by a user, which does not include operating codes that are used to develop the optical drive, such as debugging code and the optical drive controlling code. Due to an installation of firmware having an increased object size and an addition of codes for debugging, controlling, and performing other operations, a recordable area of the flash memory is reduced.